"I'm not nothing without a steady hand"

[Guest]

I see it as she still feel like she's as important and valuable as a failed writer, if she fails her art, fails her songwriting, she still matters, it's okay, she frees herself from pressure to be good in her art which is true freedom in the end. To do art without wanting the end goal to be "good" whatever good means, is when u truly delve into the real form of art. Because art in its nature is pure freedom, thats why when people want to put rules in it, to me it ruins my experience of making art. 

[Wet Fire 7,421]

7 minutes ago, joannesrats said:

Considering the amount of songs Gaga has about masturbating it definitely wouldn’t surprise me! I love how many interpretations her lyrics can have, intentional or otherwise 

Yeah, right. That's why I'm fascinated by Replay so much as a lyric. "You had the gun" can be read as "You had the penis with which you chose to rape me" referring to the incident which left her with PTSD 

[flopheart 1,865]

btw i hate the double negation "I'm not nothing", syntactically it really bothers me

[HeavyMetalLover 16]

Interesting. 

I always saw it as overcoming anxiety/self-sabotaging tendencies. To reconnect with your spirit to guide you through “downtown” (could be a metaphor for depression, a familiar place for her, where she finds herself yet again,) and find your “sound” to reclaim your voice/confidence. To basically remember who you are and rise above the darkness. I never saw it as anything sexual.

[Wet Fire 7,421]

10 minutes ago, Healed My Heart said:

I personally have interpreted this as Gaga's struggles with alcohol (hands getting shaky without it, which has happened to some friends of mine who were heavy drinkers). This was my interpretation since she said the Rain on Me lyric "I'd rather be dry" has multiple meanings, including being sober from alcohol (during the Zane Lowe interview, I believe). I think this line also probably has many layers.

Edit: Forgot to say I really like your idea about it!

Omg yes 

[Wet Fire 7,421]

6 minutes ago, KanyeWest said:

I see it as she still feel like she's as important and valuable as a failed writer, if she fails her art, fails her songwriting, she still matters, it's okay, she frees herself from pressure to be good in her art which is true freedom in the end. To do art without wanting the end goal to be "good" whatever good means, is when u truly delve into the real form of art. Because art in its nature is pure freedom, thats why when people want to put rules in it, to me it ruins my experience of making art. 

Yes. And remember in the Vogue 73 questions, Gaga also says that she doesn't think there are rules when it comes to art.

[Wet Fire 7,421]

5 minutes ago, HeavyMetalLover said:

Interesting. 

I always saw it as overcoming anxiety/self-sabotaging tendencies. To reconnect with your spirit to guide you through “downtown” (could be a metaphor for depression, a familiar place for her, where she finds herself yet again,) and find your “sound” to reclaim your voice/confidence. To basically remember who you are and rise above the darkness. I never saw it as anything sexual.

That's a really good interpretation. 

[HeavyMetalLover 16]

3 minutes ago, Wet Fire said:

That's a really good interpretation. 

Thank you! 

[audrey horne 1,180]

Thank you. I would love it to be the official meaning. The sentiment of coercion over her art, mind and body is so palpable troughout the entire album. 

[Wet Fire 7,421]

3 minutes ago, audrey horne said:

Thank you. I would love it to be the official meaning. The sentiment of coercion over her art, mind and body is so palpable troughout the entire album. 

It's haunting(ly beautiful as art) at times 

[AVeryGagaHolyDick 25,207]

First time she describes it: “It's just about me. How I felt after being sexually assaulted” 

Second time she describes it: “It's not really about me, it's about the trans community” 

What the fans think: “This is about masturbation” 

Free Woman and its layers

 

Interesting theory! I don't think she'd openly say it's about masturbation though, it would be “too Gaga” of her to literally say now

[Sherry 4,715]

1 hour ago, Quartz said:

How is this a reach? Can you please explain? OP clearly presented arguments and sources. We'll be waiting 

 

1 hour ago, Modern Ecstasy2 said:

It’s not a ‘reach’, it’s a subjective interpretation of how the person hears the music. That’s the beauty of art.

 

1 hour ago, Wet Fire said:

Actually the comparing of women's writing with female masturbation is a pretty much established literary idea 

The way y'all came for me.  I was being sarcastic.. Chile.  

[Regina George 59,387]

I always interpreted that line as “I’m not nothing without a man” because a “steady hand” is how some people like to call “strong/successful” men. Like “you need a steady hand in a relationship” meaning you need a strong man.

[Fresco 1,688]

I substituted "something" for the double negative "not nothing".  So, I think she's saying I'm still something if I'm shaky. I don't know what she is specifically shaky about. Maybe just general insecurity, maybe relationship trouble, maybe alcohol, maybe stage fright. I don't know.

It is inspiring in that she's still doing her thing even when she is shaky or insecure.

 

[Genuine Guy 09 13,941]

It's not a reach its the first thing I thought of as soon as I heard the song lol. Its a gaga double meaning. She likes them